degeneration

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dɪˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃən/ UK /dɪˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the process of declining in quality or function

Macular degeneration gradually blurred his vision.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the process of declining in... deterioration decline decay degradation decadence regression corruption

Opposites

regeneration improvement growth development

Word family

Related forms degenerate degeneracy generate regeneration

Etymology

From Late Latin degeneratio ('a degenerating'), from degenerare ('to depart from one's kind'), from de- ('away from') + genus ('race, kind').

degeneratio Latin degenerare Latin genus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# degeneration

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/

## Meanings
1. the process of declining in quality or function

## Examples
- Macular degeneration gradually blurred his vision.

## Synonyms
- deterioration
- decline
- decay
- degradation
- decadence
- regression
- corruption

## Antonyms
- regeneration
- improvement
- growth
- development

## Related Forms
- degenerate
- degeneracy
- generate
- regeneration

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: degeneratio
- Root: degenerare
- Root: genus

## Etymology
From Late Latin degeneratio ('a degenerating'), from degenerare ('to depart from one's kind'), from de- ('away from') + genus ('race, kind').

## AI Etymology
Degeneration is from Late Latin degeneratio ('a degenerating'), from degenerare ('to depart from one's kind'), from de- ('away from') + genus ('race, kind'). The ancestry passes through Latin degeneratio, Latin degenerare, and Latin genus. The prefix de- often marks removal, reversal, or downward motion in Latin formations, helping to explain the word's surface structure. In present use as a noun, it means "the process of declining in quality or function", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include degenerate, degeneracy, generate, and regeneration.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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